Straw-cutter



G. ROUSHE.

A Straw Cutter.

Paten'fed May 24,1859.,A

/lmyml/ GEO. ROUSHE, OF LIMA, OHIO.

STRAW-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,144, dated May 24, 1859.

To all whom 'it 'may concer/n:

Be it known that I, GEORGE RoUsHE, of Lima, in the county of Allen and Sta-te of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Straw-Cutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is an end View of a straw cutter constructed with my improvements. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal. section of the same.

Similar letters of reference, in each of the several gures indicate corresponding` parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the relative arrangement for united operation in a straw cutter of the reciprocating pivoted cutting knife, frame reciprocating feeding rake and rising and falling pivoted press boards, said parts being connected together and operated in the manner herein specified.

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, represents the box furnished with a metal throat guard B.

C, is the curved knife hinged at a, to an oblique standard D, of the frame so as to perform a draw cut in its descent past the metal throat. The frame of the knife is of diamond shape and is provided with a handle I), by which it is moved up and down.

E, is a feeding rake arranged over the box so that its head runs at right angle to the direction of feed and its handle parallel thereto. This rake is'hung by its handle E, to a vibrating shaft F, which has its bearing in side standards c, c, of the box A; it is also attached by the extremity of its handle and a loosely attached connecting rod G, to the bottom piece of the knife frame as shown, so that when the knife descends the rake head shall be thrown up, and when the knife ascends the same shall be thrown down and caused to feed the straw through the throat of the box A.

G1 is a press board for holding the straw down while the cutting is being performed.

This press board is hung out of balance on a pivot or short ournals CZ, d, across the throat of the box A; said journals having their bearing in a sliding frame H, and playing up and down in oblong slots e, in the sides of the box A. rIhe press board G, is suspended from the top of the rake handle by means of a slotted flat spring I, and a loosely attached connecting rod J, which passes up through a slot in the handle and a slot in the spring and has freedom to play in a direction parallel with the direction of feed. A loosely attached connecting rod K, connects the sliding frame of the press board to the treadle as shown. By having the press board hung out of balance, it will be seen that the edge nearest the knife is always forced down below the opposite edge and thus caused to clamp the straw rmly when the treadle is depressed and the cutting being performed. And by having the press board connected to the rake by a spring the press board can be brought down to the proper position independently of the knife and thus clamp the straw firmly before the knife descends andv yet it and the treadle are necessarily elevated when the knife is elevated and the rake head depressed. This is a very simple and effective arrangement; the cutting, feeding, and holding or pressing down of the straw being performed by it with simply the aid of the hand and foot without inconvenience and without the aid of gearing feed roller and crank shaft.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isd

The relative arrangement, for united operation, in a straw cutter of the reciprocating, cutting knife C, when arranged in a circularly moving frame, reciprocating feeding rake E, and rising and falling pivoted press board G', said parts being connected together and operated in the manner set forth.

GEORGE ROUSHE.

Witnesses:

T. E. CUNNINGHAM, SAMUEL H. WARD. 

